Improvement in metallic cartridges



D. SMUH.

Cartridge.

Patented 'June 15, 1869.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

DEXTER SMITH, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC CARTRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 91,278, dated June 15,1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, DEXTER SMITH, of Springeld, Hampden county, State ot'Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCenter-Fire Cartridges; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull and clear description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the drawings, Figures l and 2 are sectional views. Figs. et and 5 arecorresponding end views, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view.

. This invention relates to the well-known class of cartridges which ismetallic called centerre; 7 and myimprovements consist in the peculiarconstruction of the shell whereby Ythe fulminate is held in its place inthe center of the head,ready to be exploded by the blow of the hammer.

In Fig. 1, which shows the shell, before the fulminate is put in place,in section, it is seen that in the center of the head is a cavityextending from the rear outside nearly through the head. Sufficientstock is left, however, at the bottom of this cavity A to form the anvilfor the fulminate, which is here situated when in place. Two smallholes, a and a, are drilled through the head from the cavity A, tocommunicate with the inside of the shell and allow the fulminate to setthe charge ott when exploded.

The method of holding the fulminate in place is as follows: By the sameoperation and tool that punches in the cavity A, a circular cavity, B,is formed around it. This leaves a ange, c, around the cavity A, andwhen the fulminate is put in place and a small metal disk, D,

tting the bore ot' cavity A, placed behind it,l

the edge of the ange C is turned over inwardly, being crimped by asuitable tool, and fastens in securely the fulminate, which is h'eldbetween the bottom ot the cavity A and the disk D.

The blow from the hammer is -received on the central part of the disk D,and the lire from the fulminate passes through the holes a and c, asbefore stated.

The advantages of this construction lie in the simplicity with which theshell is made and the fulminate heldin place, the strength and safetyofthe cartridge, and the cheapness with which they can be manufactured.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is v The arrangement of the cavity A, withflange C around it, iu the rear central surface ot the shell-head, andsmall holes a extending through, and the manner ot' holding thefulminate in place by means of the-liange G being turned over,substantially as herein shown and described.

DEXTER SMITH. I

Witnesses:

EDWARD H. HYDE, J. B. GAEDINEE.

